Apophenia's Offerings

[Brian da Basher]

That bubble-top Brewster is a real stunner!

You hit on one of my favorite whiff methods - adding an updated canopy to an old favorite. You've done it much more artistically than I ever could and I bet if you showed people this picture, they'd think it was a real aircraft!

Using the name Brigand was a very nice touch and fits this baby to a T!

Most excellent, Apophenia!

Brian da Basher

[AXOR]

Well, this is  really interesting and look soooo good !  good job !
l took the liberty to make a small change,I hope you don't mind.

Alex

[GTX_Admin]

Love the bubble canopy one.

[jcf]

Next you could try stretching the rear fuselage so it looks more like the Boeing Model 278A/XP-32. 

[apophenia]

The bubble-Buffallo is cute! like an elegant pig lady...

And who could ask for a greater compliment than that! 

Brewster Aeronautical and the Corsair

With no suitable replacement for the F4A Brigand in the offing, Brewster Aeronautical was assigned licensed-production of the Vought Corsair. Cockpit visibility from the early-model F4U-1 was poor due to its 'birdcage' canopy design. Brewster's 'fix' was to adapt the bubble canopy from the F4A to the Corsair. The result was the F5A-1. Brewster referred to this fighter as the Battler but, invariably, it was dubbed the 'bubble-top' Corsair.

Another flaw in the Corsair design was that its reverse-gulled wings caused the aircraft to 'float' while trying to land-on. Dayton Brown saw an opportunity here and began a more extensive redesign of the Corsair. While F5A-1 production was beginning, Brewster design staff began 'rearranging' Corsair components.

The big change was adapting the Corsair fuselage to the 'uncranked' wings of the SB2A divebomber. Only the outer main  panels of the wings were used, with the main undercarriage wheels modified to retract into the fuselage. The fuselage itself was also heavily revised. The entire cockpit was moved forward and was now bracketed by fuel tanks. The forward tank was a shortened F4U unit, the rear tank formed the supports for the pilots seat and cockpit floor.

A prototype of this fighter - the XF6A-1 Bruiser - was built and flown to the Naval Air Test Center at NAS Patuxent River. NATC test pilots were very appreciative of the changes made and recommended that production of the F6A Bruiser be made a priority. NATC was overruled by  the Bureau of Aeronautics - the BuAer believing that the US Navy's shipboard fighter needs could be met with the Grumman F6F Hellcat - and the prototype XF6A-1 was the sole Bruiser flown.

___________________________

BTW: The 'bubble-top' Corsair and XF6A-1 Bruiser began life as an excellent F4U profile by Thomas Tullis.

[apophenia]

Many thanks for the Boeing Model 278A/XP-32, Jon.  It really does look like the spawn of a Buffalo and a Peashooter!  :)

[jcf]

Many thanks for the Boeing Model 278A/XP-32, Jon.  It really does look like the spawn of a Buffalo and a Peashooter!  :)

Yep, and ya gotta love the the horizontal tail-surfaces plan-view, very 247, early 299. 

[apophenia]

While building the 'bubble-top' F5A-1, Dayton Brown's thoughts turned to a 2-seat trainer version of this demanding fighter. The redesign simply places a student pilot's cockpit in the position of the main fuel tank. Endurance would be greatly reduced but this was though acceptable since the aircraft could carry a drop tank for extra fuel.

To conserve engine stocks for combat types, the F5A-1's R-2800-10W engine was replaced with a lighter and lower-powered P&W R-1830-90 radial with a single-stage supercharger. The rear cockpit of this FNA-1 'Corsair Trainer' remained identical to that of the F5A-1. One prototype conversion of the XFNA-1 was created from components of two damaged F5A-1s. The Navy saw the utility of such a fighter-trainer but would not give Brewster an order. On 19 May 1944, the Navy cancelled Brewster's Corsair contract and took control of both Brewster facilities for the duration of the war.

In October 1945, Brewster Aeronautical regained control over its factories. To satisfy debts, the Long Island facility was sold off. The Johnsville, Pennsylvania plant was largely converted to civilian, non-aviation related activities. But Brewster, had one final kick at the aviation can. Stockpiles of Corsair parts were available both at the Johnsville plant and through surplus sales. The firm decided to pursue its FNA-1 concept as a direct Corsair conversion program.

The result was a 'Corsair Trainer' with the full power of the F4U's P&W R-2800 engine. The US Navy agreed to have two batches of stored F5A-2s and F5A-3s rebuilt as FN2A-1 2-seaters. The contract was predicated upon fulltime in-factory Navy inspectors and substantial fines for delayed re-delivery of completed airframes. All 32 FN2A-1s on ordered were delivered to the Navy by the end of 1948. The 'Corsair Trainers' proved most useful during the Korean conflict when they were used to 'refresh' returning veteran pilots. By then, the FN2A-1 trainers had been redesignated as TF5A-2s and TF5A-3s.

Shown are the XFNA-1 'Corsair Trainer' prototype in April 1944 and a TF5A-3 of VFATU-2, an Operational Flight Training Squadron based at Cabanas Field, TX, in early 1953.

[Tophe]

  Lovely bubble-trainer Corsairs! Thanks for dreaming/drawing/painting this way!

[apophenia]

KiwiZac mentioned a backstory for a tricycle geared Supermarine Attacker. I have no such backstory but 'Zac's concept put me in mind of a straight-winged Swift.
http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=3359.msg109710#msg109710

So, here it is: the Attacker Trike. I based the images on the Czech Master Resin kit box (with artwork done by Juanita Franzi ... I think).

[Empty Handed]

That was quite a ride! Was going to say how great the F4A-3 was until the Corsairs came along but then that Supermarine...... 

[phoenix54]

KiwiZac mentioned a backstory for a tricycle geared Supermarine Attacker. I have no such backstory but 'Zac's concept put me in mind of a straight-winged Swift.
http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=3359.msg109710#msg109710

So, here it is: the Attacker Trike. I based the images on the Czech Master Resin kit box (with artwork done by Juanita Franzi ... I think).

Cracker! No more scorched decks!!!!   

[apophenia]

Britain's Fleet Air Arm went to war with biplane torpedo bombers - the venerable Fairey Swordfish and the conceptually obsolescent Fairey Albacore. The attack on Pearl Harbor revealed an urgent need for more modern torpedo bombers for the Fleet Air Arm in the Pacific and Indian oceans.

To speed development of the new torpedo bomber, existing components were to be combined. The fuselage of the Albacore would be mated to the wings of Fairey's monoplane Battle light bomber. The result was the Fairey Amberjack Mk.I. [1]

Performance of the Amberjack Mk.I was roughly equivalent to the US Navy's Douglas TBD and the Japanese Nakajima B5N 'Kate'. The Bristol Taurus-powered Amberjack Mk.I and projected Mk.II (with P&W Twin Wasp) were considered interim types. The 'final' Amberjack Mk.III - to be powered by a Bristol Hercules - was to be brought into production as soon as possible.

The availability of US Grumman Avengers made the Amberjack Mk.III redundant (and allowed Fairey to concentrate of developing the more modern Barracuda and Firefly types). The Royal Navy's Amberjack Mk.Is served out their time on patrol in the Indian Ocean. At one stage, consideration was given to 'unshipping' Amberjacks in Australia for use as 'Kawakawa' [2] trainers, simulating 'Kates'. That never happened. Instead, the Amberjacks finished their was as land-based patrol aircraft operating from Ceylon.

___________________________

[1] The name was a continuation of the Albacore's tuna theme. Amberjack - aka Southern Kingfish - is a tuna found in the Pacific and Indian oceans (from British Columbia to South Africa, and from Australia to Japan).

[2] Kawakawa is the Japanese name for the mackerel tuna (Euthynnus affinis).

___________________________

[Tophe]

Is the Amberjack a 3-seat airplane?

[Old Wombat]

We were going to use a Japanese name for an aircraft?

I don't think so! Not even for dissimilar training purposes. Australians despised the Japanese during the war because of reported atrocities & that became even worse afterwards, when they learned of the actual scale of what had happened to PoW's. That hatred didn't start dying down until the 1970's & 80's.

The name alone could be a reason the Australians didn't let that happen.

Perhaps there would have been a better chance with a common English name, like Bluefin?


Nice design, though! :)

[Volkodav]

My great uncle used to upset a few veterans for not hating the Japanese.  Some of them, who had never left Australia, would be carrying on about the atrocities etc. as an excuse for their racism into the 70s and 80s, wouldn't buy Japanese cars or electronics, some wouldn't even eat rice because it was all the prisoners of the Japanese had been fed.  Then there was uncle Albert, he didn't hate them or resent them even tough he had been captured at the fall of Singapore and spent the rest of the war in Changi.  His only regret was not being in New Guinea where he had extensive local knowledge that would have aided in the defence.  Anyway, his take on things were the Japanese were just doing what they were told and if they refused they would have been killed themselves, the really bad ones were prosecuted and punished anyway and if he hadn't have had rice to eat he would have died.  No reason to hate a whole people for things most of them would never willing have done, better to forgive and make sure there was no reason for it to happen again. 

Love the concept, looks great and could really imagine it lined up on deck next to Fulmars and Sea Hurricanes or Martlets.

[apophenia]

The name alone could be a reason the Australians didn't let that happen.

I see your point. I was thinking less of a moniker and more of a codename. It occurs to me, belatedly, that such a codename would more likely be a short female name ... akin to Kate, Judy, etc. I guess I caught a little too caught up in tuna names 

[Old Wombat]

I don't know if there is a word for tuna in any Aboriginal dialect but, if you find any, that's the most likely name that Australians would give it. :)

[GTX_Admin]

Some options based upon above:

Dilgara - Small King-fish
Gowdalie - Fishing spear
Kanyinuk - Kingfisher
Mirree - Kingfish
Noorigoo - Kingfisher
Perina - Kingfisher

The Kingfish variants match relative closely with Albacore or Amberjack given all are relatively sizeable fish.
The Kingfisher variants work if you want to play off the hunters of fish (i.e. ships) aspect.  The Finshing Spear also works in this regard.

[apophenia]

Ooo ... Mirree fits the short codename angle but I really like Gowdalie  :)

[apophenia]

Inspired - appropriately enough - by this Ideas & Inspiration post:
http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=147.msg2025#msg2025

Vickers Valiant K.2

The Vickers Valiants were withdrawal from RAF service in Dec 1964 due to severe metal fatigue in the main wing spars. Valiant B(PR).1s were replaced by Victor B.2s converted to Victor SR.2 standard. Most critical was the retirement of the Valiant B(PR)K.1 tankers which left the RAF with no front-line in-flight refuelling aircraft.

One proposal was to convert surplus Victor B.1A bombers to B(K).1A tanker standard. But that would require the RAF to retain the Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire turbojet in service for this one aircraft type. The British Aircraft Corporation counter-proposal had the advantage of employing more modern turbofans already in service with the Victor B.2 and VC10 - the Rolls-Royce Conway.

The BAC proposal was accepted and, as the Valiant B(PR)K.1s were phased out our service, they were returned to their manufacturer for extensive rebuilds. Wings were 'plucked' of control surfaces and systems to be installed in wings of an entirely new design. The main undercarriage was also reused - albeit, heavily modified so that the gear now retracted inward.

The Valiant's original 'buried' powerplant approach was abandoned in favour of four separate pylons for podded engines. This arrangement produced more drag but, even in their derated form, the new Conway turbofans produced almost twice as much power as the original Rolls-Royce Avon RA28 Mk 204 turbojets. Thus rebuilt, the first Valiant K.2 re-entered RAF service in March 1966 - serving with 90 Squadron at RAF Honington and 214 Squadron at RAF Marham.

With their new wings (employing a stronger alloy) and freed from the strains of low-level bombing flights, the Valiant K.2s would prove both durable and reliable. The Valiant K.2 performed sterling service during the Falklands War. The sturdy Valiant K.2s were finally retired in October 1993. The Valiants were replaced by 757 K.1s (ex-British Airways Boeing 757-200s converted for IFR).

[Volkodav]

Nice, that just looks so right

[GTX_Admin]

Outstanding!

[Jeffry Fontaine]

Definitely a winning idea.

[apophenia]

Thanks folks! This one's not really a whif ... except maybe for the Austrian markings?

This is an attempt at the Saab AJ 35 Draken 35 MOD level 4 upgrade. Compared with a standard Draken, the new dog-toothed outer wings have a 1 metre more span. (here, an Apparat 15, Enhet B ECM pod is shown on the wing tip). The vertical fin is extended (à la the late JA 37 Viggens) and new, flip-out 'moustache' foreplanes are fitted.